Brigadier Von Schwen was in charge of the Prussian force and fought alongside his men all the way back.
The Swedish army started to wheel its forces around to close the gap between the wall and the south side. British General Watt offered to help plug the gap with the Black Watch. The regiment was well respected on the battlefield and they were known for their fighting prowess. The Swedes were very grateful to have them amongst alongside.
As this unfolded the north wall came under attack. This meant the Austrians and French had to come into the camp and defend that side of wall.
The British and French regiments that had been fighting in the North were now dispersed and scattered around as they fought hard not to be totally annihilated. The countries now left on the front line were just Spain, Britain and Sweden.
Northern riders were attacking the wall to the north with flesh-eaters, long-limbs and drone soldiers accompanying them. The Spanish forces had moved swiftly to plug the gap, but had left holes. Their generals were trying in vain to fill them, but faced with such numbers and artillery fire it was proving difficult.
Major Richmond helped at the British front line. The mines and bombs that had been set early were now being readied. They had been saved in the first attack and now was the time to use them. Captain Hayward was on his hands and knees making his way to the dugout they had made in the fields to set the bombs off. He was with Corporal Heinz and two other soldiers.
The sound of warfare filled the air. The sun beamed down, making it hot, sweaty work, the soil was hot to the touch and crumbled a little in Captain Hayward’s hand after each movement. They all slid into the dugout and hurriedly checked the fuses and readied the detonators.
Their focus was changed when the drumming sound started again. The men looked up to see a mass of moving figures. The enemy was sweeping forward. The secret was to set the explosives off and get back to the British line as quickly as possible. Sitting there watching a sea of flesh-eaters coming towards them tested every man’s nerve and inner soul.
The urge was to get up and run, knowing that all the creatures wanted to do was feed on their flesh and bones.
Captain Hayward tried to stay focused on the job in hand. He could not help but think about Paris and the army on its way to take it. His wife and children played on his mind. It was only a bullet hitting a wooden stake next to them that made him come round. The worrying point came when they realised the bullet had been fired from their own lines.
“Private Jones, go back and bloody well tell them we’re in this hole to set the charges. Give them hell.”
Jones almost looked relieved to get out of there. The sound of moving bodies and groaning got louder and louder. The creatures’ teeth snapped back and forth and, in a strange moment, Captain Hayward swore one of them seemed to catch his eye, and shuffle faster. It was about holding your nerve, waiting as long as possible and setting off the fireworks.
They started to get within a good range. Still the captain waited.
Sweat dripped off Corporal Heinz’s nose; his eyes told of the fear and loathing this wait was causing. Each staggered step towards them was a lifetime in anticipation of what was going to unfold. The men’s focus turned to the fuse.
“Soon, men, they’re nearly upon us.”
As he said this, the oncoming mass of bodies parted. Charging through the ranks was a sea of long-limbs being directed by drone soldiers on horseback. This attack was being supported by razor-tooths and double-headed bears.
The captain lit the fuse and the men started to run. The noise of the beasts and enemy force closing behind them helped keep their speed up.
By the time the explosion hit, they had made it to the first line of sandbags. The earth jumped with the size of the blast, knocking them to the ground. Captain Hayward came around with a high-pitched whistling hum in his ears. This was rapidly replaced by the rattle of the Gatling guns.
Sergeant Butcher helped him up and the other soldier with them, feeling relieved to have made it just past the killing range. Carnage greeted their eyes as they looked back. The crater left in the centre field was huge, but it had been rapidly swamped with flesh-eaters falling into it and then slowly crawling out the other side. The Gatling guns were now doing the same damage as before; the only problem was there were not so many armies raining down bullets on the oncoming force.
They did not hang around and were helped over several more lines of sandbags with soldiers waiting patiently behind them, bayonets already fixed. The field cannons started to open up, but the enemy kept on coming.
The small group rejoined the major on the mount. They were in time to see the Gatling gun crews retreating as the machines overheated or simply ran out of ammo. The sheer numbers of the enemy was weighted to their advantage. Thousands were dying, but being replenished by an endless stream of dead.
The heavier creatures were used to batter the sandbags and were herded towards the cannons. One cannon crew let fly with a volley, ripping a two-headed bear in half and cutting down hordes of onrushing long-limbs. The rapid fire of these crews was seen by the army around them. They were never going to leave their post and would keep the cannons firing until the bitter end.
The frontline soldiers were laying down a repetitive volley fire. It was again having an overpowering effect on the enemy lines, but the larger creatures absorbed the impact on the smaller bodies behind them. This was enough to get the flesh-eaters to the first barricade. It then became a battle to hold them back.
Bayonets were used to good effect. The soldiers had been told that only head shots or bayonets to the head would kill the flesh-eaters. Being faced with creatures wanting to rip your intestines out and eat them was something different for these soldiers and became so real when anyone fell victim to this unforgiving opponent.
Watching from the mount gave the captain and the major a clear indication of how the battle was unfolding. The Swedish army was being hit hard, as was the Spanish. The enemy were trying to break through at the sides.
News broke of fighting within Reims. The drone soldiers were launching an assault on the city. This meant they were pushing up behind them.
Captain Hayward spoke to the major about plans for a retreat and how it might be time to fall back to make sure they were not totally surrounded. He agreed with his old friend, but the order had to come from the field marshals.
The fighting was intense on the front line. All the Gatling guns were now out of action and some of the field cannons were also lost. The King’s Royal Rifle Corps and 44th Regiment of Foot were now involved in heavy hand-to-hand fighting. Orderlies tried to hand out extra ammunition where possible and even joined in the fighting when needed.
Long-limbs smashed into the lines, hissing and biting as a group, using their large frames to gain advantage.
Razor-tooths being ridden by drone soldiers had the upper hand in the hills, north of the battle. The Spanish forces were being torn apart and were on the verge of collapse.
Captain Hayward’s men were behind the main camp wall helping out with supplies and reinforcing the wall when needed. The major was with his Engineer regiment and got them to form a circle around the mount. Captain Hayward could see the dark priests on horseback fighting alongside their men and creatures. It was the first time he had seen so many of them.
No order came through about retreating and the battle raged for another hour before the sheer number of flesh-eaters started breaking the lines. Regiments were forced into forming squares or circles in a last-ditch stand. They soon realised no quarter would be given.
Shells started to rain from the sky, killing men indiscriminately. They did not care that they were also killing their own forces. Large explosions saw men and horses blown to pieces, arms and legs ripped off and multiple injuries occurring all over the battlefield.
A wave of staggering flesh-eaters buffered the Royal Engineers. Their first volley fire killed hundreds. The trouble was, there were thousands coming in behind them
. Drone cavalry charged at the fragmented units. Captain Hayward looked at his dear old friend.
“Harry, give the order. There’s still time.”
His eyes signalled his response. He leaned over and gave Charles an envelope. There was a horrible moment of realisation. Both men stood there motionless for a second or two. A single tear rolled down Captain Hayward’s cheek. He then saluted the major and hugged him.
Corporal Heinz shook the major’s hand.
With no time to spare, the captain left with Sergeant Butcher and Corporal Heinz.
“Why are they not retreating?” questioned Corporal Heinz.
A little hoarse in his voice, a soft answer came out from Captain Hayward.
“Too proud and too stubborn. Without an order from the high command he will stand his ground until the end.”
Corporal Heinz helped hold the horses as they mounted. They broke out of the circle, knocking over flesh-eaters who were coming from all angles. Captain Hayward looked back at his dear old friend. A single nod was his last contact.
They galloped at speed to the entrance of the main camp. Fighting was spread out over a large area around them. Some Spanish and British forces tried to regain some sort of line, but the enemy were using the larger creatures to break this and were now bringing in the drone cavalry to help pick off smaller groups.
The flesh-eaters were tearing into soldiers. Screams and cries of fallen men being devoured alive filled the battlefield.
The Grenadier Guards holding the gate were trying their best to keep the advancing hordes out.
They were also trying not to lay down friendly fire on their own soldiers, which was difficult
in the melee that was occurring around them.
A brigadier came forward on his horse. He was escorted by several dragoons.
“Captain, bring your men through.”
The men squeezed their way through the tight ranks into the camp. The brigadier was a friend of Major Richmond and had been advised that the captain would be returning to his men.
Inside the walls, the defence was coming under heavy fire. It was starting to crumble around them. Captain Hayward quickly got to his detachment. They were busy reinforcing a wall and helping out the orderlies where possible. Shells were coming over into the camp and taking their toll on units that were gathered close together. Army surgeons were doing their best they could to stem the loss of blood from severed limbs and flesh-eater victims.
A razor-tooth had broken over a breach in the wall, but was swiftly dealt with by a roaming unit of 9th Lancers. They charged it together and even though several were thrown from their horses, they managed to inflict enough wounds on the beast to bring it down and plunge lances into its head.
Private Brown was helping Private Clegg with several sandbags. His mind was on Heidi, who was not too far away helping the sick and wounded.
“If you’re thinking of deserting pick your moment John.”
John gave him a quizzical look.
“I’ll judge the situation if it comes to that. I love her.”
The two soldiers looked at each other and smiled. Amongst the fighting and raging battle there was a moment of normality. It was promptly broken, though, as a shell landed near them.
The captain asked Sergeant Butcher to check on the troops. The morale was fairly high amongst the men as they all worked in close proximity to each other. Their rifles were stacked nearby.
Captain Hayward was lost momentarily, thinking about his friend Harry Richmond.
He wanted to ride out of the camp and collect him from the mount, but the fighting had become overwhelming in all directions. The camp walls were starting to buckle under the pounding they were receiving. There were several Gatling guns being manoeuvred into spaces where the wall was being overrun.
The field marshals were discussing the next battle move, but their resources were now stretched. The front line was fractured and the European armies split into hundreds of splintered groups. The enemy were throwing everything at them. The fields around Reims were a sea of flesh-eaters. The drone soldiers were now being used to focus the fighting on areas deemed of strategic all-importance.
Major Richmond gathered what he could of his regiment and formed a circle on top of the mount. He could see the high priest orchestrating the battle and realised there were a fair few fighting alongside this fearsome army. His men were running low on ammunition. They were soon joined by some Black Watch Highlanders under the great stewardship of General Watt. The General had fought bravely and hard against unrelenting odds and had seen his regiment decimated, leaving just a small handful. Some Swedish soldiers had come to the mount and joined in this last stand.
Karl Lundin a sergeant in the Swedish foot patrol went up to the major and explained they had seen the Swedish army destroyed and now the last of his nation’s men were fighting in small pockets around the front entrance. General Watt came joined them, sword in one hand and revolver in the other. He was covered in blood and had the look of a wild animal about him. He was known as the fighting general and his men loved him for that. The mount was soon surrounded by flesh-eaters and drones fighting to kill everything in their path.
Long-limbs were pushing to the front, biting and slashing at what they could. The British and Swedish forces were almost completely out of ammunition. It was hand-to-hand on the mount.
Thick, oily smoke drifted across the battlefield. Major Richmond and his small band of Royal Engineers retreated further up the mount, stumbling over fallen soldiers and discarded weaponry. General Watt joined him with a handful of Black Watch Highlanders.
Long-limbs were breaking through the lines, allowing flesh-eaters to surge in. With limited ammunition and dwindling ranks the fight was reaching its climax at the front. As the flesh-eaters surged amongst them, Major Richmond was knocked to the ground, dropping his revolver in the process. Two staggering flesh-eaters homed in on him. One was a woman in her later years, her grey hair matted with blood and her skin rotting around her cheeks. The other was a young lad, possibly a teenager before becoming infected. His mouth was missing lips and his teeth were broken in places. He seemed to move faster than the older lady and was soon grappling with the major’s legs.
The first bite took out a large chunk of calf muscle. The major let out a roar as the pain hit his senses hard. The creature went to take another bite, but was kicked back by the major’s flailing legs. By this time, the older lady was trying to bite his arms. He was fighting hard and with the whole mount being engulfed by flesh-eaters there was no chance of escape. She managed to tear a strip of skin from his forearm. The major tried to push her back and reach for his revolver. Suddenly a sword swung down and decapitated her in one clean swoop. The teenager came back for more but was shot in the head in a ruthless fashion.
Standing over the major’s wounded body was General Watt. “It’s nearly our time, laddie!”
This was said with a stone-cold face. General Watt helped him up and they stood with three other men at the top. The remaining soldiers were being taken down and feasted on. Their screams and shouts were dulled by the sheer volume of flesh-eaters. A Highland soldier loaded his last bullet.
The major quickly drew out his photograph of his family and looked at his wife and children one last time.
Then the general looked at the men; the creatures were coming at them from all angles.
“If you don’t mind, gentlemen I’d like to die the Highland way.”
They looked at him and nodded.
Then, leading from the front, General Watt let out a roar which could be heard in the camp and charged down the mount with the major and the other three soldiers. They were able to cut, kick and slash several flesh-eaters before being swallowed into the masses.
The order was never given for them to retreat.
Captain Hayward told his men to gather their weapons and group together. He wondered if they would share the same fate as his good friend Major Richmond.
“Corporal Heinz, get me news from the field marshals,” ordered Captain Hayward.
Corporal Heinz left at speed to find a horse and ride to the HQ within the camp. The British lines were slowly retreating from the front. The uniforms were mixed as different soldiers of Europe fought side by side. Such was the sight all around the main walls.
The cannons and Gatling guns could not be used on the advancing enemy with ease as the front lines were mixed heavily with the enemy.
Captain Hayward could see this all unfolding and spoke with Sergeant Butcher about getting ready to pull the men out of the camp. Rumours had surfaced about the city being surrounded. Corporal Heinz returned at a swift pace, looking perplexed.
“The headquarters have been overrun.” Captain Hayward turned immediately to the Sergeant and gave him an order. “Sergeant, move the men out now. We must fall back through the outskirts of the city and get to Paris.”
The men had their packs and supplies nearby. The preparation had been good. This was a difficult decision to make, but units were starting to fall back and run. The officers were lost in a sea of confusion. The noise of gunfire and shouts and roars filled the battlefield. Smoke and dust helped create confusion for the ensuing force with its relentless pursuit of flesh and bone.
Orderlies and medical staff were trying to help the wounded into carts and wagons. The buildings that had been used for hospitals and supply dumps were chaotically emptied. Whilst the Royal Engineers were retreating, Colonel Kiesl arrived on horseback with a small collection of men. He had seen the Royal Engineers’ flag being carried away from the front. The European forces were now in full flight, pockets of outstanding bravery were erupting as they pulled back. This gave various units time to regroup and fight a semi-organised retreat.
Private Brown appeared next to Captain Hayward as they fell back.
“Sir, may I?”
“Be quick, man. This city will fall very shortly.”
John left to find Heidi. Private Clegg joined him in his search.
Europe Has Fallen Page 30
